I'm picking up a pair of AL-III's on Saturday, about two hours away from home. I have a Yukon XL so space isn't a problem.

Should I lay them "face down" or on their side in the back of the truck?

This is a long time coming, I've been kicking myself since about 1996 when I use to sell these, as I watched the last pair roll out the door thinking I should have bought them myself.

When I demo these at the sellers house, any particular song / material I should play to "inspect" the ribbon?

I'm also research the sub upgrade mod. The suggested infinity is out of production, but easily found used. Is the Perfect 10 still the best sub to use or is there a newer sub you guys would recommend? I don't plan to do this right away, just thinking ahead.....

I've never transported mine face down, bit they've traveled 8 hours each way to Carverfest 3 times in a minivan, a Ford Probe(!), and the open back of my pickup. I always wrapped them in bubble wrap then in industrial-size cling wrap, then place 3 pillows between them face-to-face on their sides and put a couple of ratchet straps around the bases to hold them together. The bubble wrap probably isn't necessary for a short trip inside, but the pillows & ratchet straps really stabilize them.

I recommend Dianna Krall, Norah Jones, and "Linus & Lucy" by David Benoit for test music~

Last edited by TNRabbit on Fri Nov 16, 2012 2:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hacker-Pschorr wrote:I'm also research the sub upgrade mod. The suggested infinity is out of production, but easily found used. Is the Perfect 10 still the best sub to use or is there a newer sub you guys would recommend? I don't plan to do this right away, just thinking ahead.....

The gang in Pittsburgh have been experimenting with using a JL driver in the Sunfire subs. So far, the results have been awesome. We're going to be doing an experiment soon with them in a pair of ALIII's as well.

RevAmish wrote:The gang in Pittsburgh have been experimenting with using a JL driver in the Sunfire subs. So far, the results have been awesome.

The 10" or 12" sub? Which model JL woofer? Its hard to imagine a "better" driver then the original unless its the 12" where there's no known factory replace. Also, the stock subs are of the high back emf design which, from what I understand, is actually closer to a 12 ohm load under strain and fitted specifically for the factory plate. I've been told that running a standard 4 ohm woofer with one of those plates will burn it up.

I hauled a set of AL-IIIs once in the trunk of my car, I used a bunch of pillows and moving blankets to pad them. I had them face up with the bass bins touching the back seats and the tops sticking out of the trunk a few feet. Luckily they weren't too far from me and they made it home OK. I've been told never to lay these speakers on their side because of the above mentioned problems with the ribbon magnets. Good luck, I think you'll really enjoy those speakers, especially if you have adequate power to drive them (they are power hungry) and a sub that can blend in and keep up.

thuffman03 wrote:You want them face down. If you put them on the side, a bump in the road can cause the magnets slide in the ribbons. It happened to beemers a few months ago when he was transporting a set.

I've traveled on all types of roads for thousands of miles with mine on their side with never a problem....

thuffman03 wrote:You want them face down. If you put them on the side, a bump in the road can cause the magnets slide in the ribbons. It happened to beemers a few months ago when he was transporting a set.

I've traveled on all types of roads for thousands of miles with mine on their side with never a problem....

I've personally seen a few ribbons at Rita's repair shop with the magnets pushed out into the middle of the ribbon. I'm sure each speaker is different, quality and quantity of glue, possible storage situation ie varying temps etc that could cause glue failure or weaken the glue. Either way you may have just been lucky Rabbit.

Hacker-Pschorr wrote:I'm also research the sub upgrade mod. The suggested infinity is out of production, but easily found used. Is the Perfect 10 still the best sub to use or is there a newer sub you guys would recommend? I don't plan to do this right away, just thinking ahead.....

The gang in Pittsburgh have been experimenting with using a JL driver in the Sunfire subs. So far, the results have been awesome. We're going to be doing an experiment soon with them in a pair of ALIII's as well.

IIRC, Alex has the JLs in his ALIIIs. Alex??

ray

Magnaryder

Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.

Take EVERY coushion and pillow you can find in your house(couch futon chair or bed) along with all the blankets you have inluding any bubble wrap foam pads or carpet. Pad the floor of the truck, the front the sides the back in other words don't let them roll slide or take a bump in the road pad every way up down sideways back and forth. MORE IS BETTER use your head and you will get them home in one piece.

TRUST ME OVER KILL IS. BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests”.- Patrick Henry

Thank you for all the advice, I was able to get them home safe and sound with a copious amount of padding

Love'em and so does my wife. They are the centerpiece of our living room. Great conversation starter when anyone arrives which usually turns into hours of "showing off" the speakers.

One of the woofers has developed a slight rattle or buzz at certain frequencies / volumes. I've turned the dial on the sub all the way down which has lessened the the noise quite a bit. The surround looks intact so I don't think it's from foam rot (recently repair a set of Infinity Kappa's due to that). It's only really noticeable during really low frequencies.

So.....thinking long term I'm studying this mod again, as mentioned in my original post:

I have a pair of PPI carbon comp 12" subs I haven't used in 10+ years wrapped up in the basement. I'm guessing I'm not lucky enough for those to be a drop in fit. I don't really want to cut up the original holes.